


Roses, Gloxinias and Wood Shavings.

by Gelflings_in_a_Tardis



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Birth, F/M, Female Bilbo, Grief/Mourning, Loss of Virginity, Misunderstandings, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Sassy Smaug, Sex, Surprise! - Freeform, Sweet love, There will be Dwobbits, Timeline What Timeline, Tiny Smaug - Freeform, Tooth Rotting Fluff, baby dwobbit, bashful Bilbo, the cuteness might kill me, tiny touch of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-21 08:19:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17639198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis/pseuds/Gelflings_in_a_Tardis
Summary: Roses~ You're everything to meGloxinias~ Love at first sightBofur knew the minute he saw her.Ivy took a bit longer to convince. But once it was done nothing would keep apart what the Valar put together.Even a pouting king.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Once again I'm straying from naming my Bilbo Briar or Bella like I have in the past. Ivy just stuck out to me and I think it's perfect for Bofur. I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!

It started for Bofur the minute the little lass had opened the round green door to her home. She was a bonnie little thing with a head full of auburn curls that made him think of autumn in the mountains and he thought her big feet were adorable. What more her head was not turned by none of the other lads that flirted shamelessly with her yet all he had to do was waggle his brows at her and she blushed so prettily.   
It was an honest mistake causing her to faint as he teased her about Smaug the Great and Terrible.   
Thorin gave him a look that spoke volumes as he carried her to another room for air  _if she refuses to help us I'm blaming you.  
  
_ Singing was not his strong suit but when his King's deep baritone throbbed through the home he couldn't resist adding his own baritone as they sang the lament of their people. A thrill went through him as he spied Ivy watching him sing with eyes wide and her mouth open in a gasp. It felt as though she was looking only at him as the song died away and then she slipped into the shadows.   
 **Why do you stare at our hostess so?** his cousin wanted to know while his brother nodded in agreement finishing the cheese wheel he'd claimed from the hobbit's well stocked pantry.   
Bofur shrugged before signing back  **There's something about her... I can't put my finger on it but she intrigues me.  
** Bombur smiled knowingly "Aye that's how it was when I saw my Eir for the first time."   
Firelight glinted off the ax blade in Bifur's forehead as he nodded  **Same with my Aida. Could the wee lass be your One?  
** That thought had not occurred to Bofur and he told his family as much which only made them chuckle as they bedded down in the sitting room.   
"How could she be my One? She's a Hobbit and well we're not." he looked at his kin who only shook their heads like he was being silly.   
 **Mahal crafts our One's just for us. Who's to say his wife doesn't have a say in some of our Ones?**  
Thoughts chased themselves through Bofur's mind as sleep rolled over him no matter how much he wanted to fight it.   
 _Could they be right?  
  
_ _Could Yavanna have picked Ivy just for him?_

_How could he have forgotten that their Creator's Wife was the Mother of Hobbits?  
_  
Oakenshield had decided then that she would not be helping them and urged them all to sleep before departing shortly after sunrise.   
Bofur found himself clinging to hope that Ivy would change her mind but the farther his pony carried him from her cozy little home his heart felt a little heavier with each step.   
  
  
Ivy Baggins was a respectable Hobbit thank you very much.   
But if she was why in the name of Yavanna was she now careening headlong down the path from her home shouting to all that waved that she was going on an adventure! She had been sure that she wasn't going the night before. No matter how beseechingly Gandalf had looked at her nor how much that tale the dwarves had spun for her had made her heart cry. When she had went to her bedroom Ivy had known as sure as she had curls on her feet she was not going on some blasted quest that Gandalf couldn't even promise she'd return from! That was not how a proper Baggins behaved and Ivy prided herself on silencing the impish Tookish part of herself and living how she thought her father Bungo would have.   
It was the span of a heartbeat when that all changed; when her curious gaze had met the warm one of the dwarf wearing the floppy hat a pulse had shot to the center of her being. When his voice had rose in the second verse the urge to add her soprano was hard to resist and she only managed since she did not know the sorrowful lyrics. Her parents voices warred in her tired mind as she sank back into the shadows and retreated to her bedroom as the song faded away though she still felt it in her bones.   
 _When I met your father it was like my whole being came alive_ Belladonna's voice repeated part of her parents story.   
 _A Baggins is not swayed by pretty words or eyes_ Bungo's gruffer tone pointed out. Ivy could almost picture her parents sitting out there by the fire lecturing her on how to find her Mate; each offering advice that held the tint of influence from their respected families.   
No matter what they said she still drifted to sleep with his warm eyes and voice drifting around her.   
  
When the rays of the sun woke her and she stepped out to find her smial vacant she had tossed up a prayer to Yavanna that she wasn't being a fool of Took as she grabbed her pack, contract and the key to her front door and out she dashed.   
She chose to ignore the scowl Master Oakenshield wore and the money bags flying between the group, she instead focused on the wide smile of the floppy hatted dwarf gave her as she was dropped onto the pony next to him. Words wouldn't slip from her lips no matter how much she wanted to speak to him so instead she blushed while tucking her curls behind a pointed ear.   
  
They hadn't even been on the road two weeks and Bofur was certain he was in love with the darling hobbit. He wasn't sure what endeared him more the way she tried so hard without complaining? The way she blushed so sweetly whenever he smiled at her or waggled his brows? Perhaps it was the way he had noticed that she whispered to her pony that she had dubbed Daisy and slipped the mare treats of apples or carrots when she thought no one was looking?   
As sure as Mahal crafted the Seven Dwarf Lords from stone Bofur knew Ivy was his One.   
The desire to be near her was at times almost overwhelming, especially in the evenings when the sun was setting and Ivy was usually sitting alone looking at the stars or starring into the flames while everyone laughed around her.   
"Ya keep staring like tha' and you're gonna scare the wee lass off before you can even attempt to court 'er" Nori's lower class brogue shattered his revere as the thief dropped down to sit beside him.   
Bofur side eyed him "Why do you talk like that? We both know that you're educated."   
Nori snorted with laughter "You know it's just to annoy Dori. If I don't get his feathers ruffled every other day he'll think I don't care anymore."   
They roared with laughter thinking about how the fussy silver haired dwarf would react to his brother not giving him a hard time and when it died away the friends sat in silence watching everyone get ready for bed around them.   
"So have you heard Ivy speak?"   
  
  
Ivy wanted to talk to Bofur. She really did but no matter how hard she tried it always felt as though her mouth was full of mud or something. So she kept quiet and just smiled at him, she nodded yes or no to his questions and tried to make the best of it.   
Occasionally he would ride ahead to speak with Nori or the Princes and she'd be alone with her thoughts for a moment. During those times she would berate herself for not talking to the nice dwarf, for her shyness that stole her tongue and for her parents not encouraging her to actually talk to non-family members more.   
"Are you alright Miss Baggins?"   
The new voice stopped her chiding and she looked up to see she was flanked by Bofur's family! His brother Bombur rode his sturdy pony on one side and his cousin Bifur rode a pony that almost matched his hair on the other. She remembered from Bofur's chatter that Bifur could understand Westron but was unable to speak it and that Bombur was almost as she shy as she was.   
A nod was the only answer she could muster and the big red headed dwarf nodded back "so I take you are actually shyer than I am?"   
Heat crawled up her face and she felt her ears get warm while Bifur chuckled before saying something in his language.   
"Aye cousin. Bifur says there is nothing to be embarrassed about and I agree. Try not to worry Miss Baggins."   
Stunned was the top emotion she felt at how observant and yet so understanding the pair was. She rode between them in stunned silence for some time before she managed to whisper "Ivy."   
Red brows almost touched his hairline as Bombur said "excuse me?"   
"You can call me Ivy." she whispered a little louder giggling Bifur began talking very quickly.   
"Yes she means Ivy like that plant." Bombur said out of nowhere.   
Bifur said something else before bowing to her while still seated. A questioning brow had Bombur laughing as he translated "My cousin wanted to be formally introduced. He says "Bifur, Son of Zadur at your service."   
  


Bofur was not sure what to think as he saw Ivy's lips moving as she sat between his family but the smile that Bifur had made him feel happy and a little relieved.   
  


The fight with the Trolls was a spectacular failure in many ways but Bofur will always credit it as the first time he heard Ivy's sweet voice as she distracted the trio from the coming dawn. The hobbit had held her own even when being roughly handled by the brutes and Bofur wasn't the only one in awe of how well she spun her tale of them all being riddled with parasites.   
He had hoped to have a moment alone with her once it was all done and dusted but Thorin shouted for his help in finding the Trolls horde hidden nearby and by the time they were done that weird brown robed wizard had came crashing in shouting for Tharkun. Radagast rode the damnedest contraption Bofur had ever seen and he wished there had been time for him to check out the construction of it but Mahal had other plans for them. Melkor cursed wargs were soon after them and without thought he seized Ivy by the wrist and pulled her behind him as they raced the fates. 

Ivy thought her lungs were going to explode or her heart was going to burst as she struggled to keep up with Bofur. A split moment thought entered of pulling away from his grip but a look behind them sobered her of that thought as orcs closed in behind them. A scream tore from her throat as a warg launched itself and it's rider over them, one of the huge paws catching her shoulder and Bofur's hat as it sailed over head. Before her scream had even left the air Bofur had swung his mattock down to crush the skull of the beast while Dwalin had finished the orc on it's back.   
"QUICKLY! OVER HERE YOU FOOLS!" Gandalf's voice boomed over the plain and she barely had time to grab Bofur's hat before he was pulling her behind him once again towards the wizard.   
  
Sliding down the embankment wrapped in Bofur's arms made her heart sing despite the danger they were still in and she would have stayed that happy if he hadn't let go of her with a look of shock.   
"What?" she whispered.   
He held out a gloved hand that was coated in blood with the color leaving his face.   
"There's a path up ahead! Should we follow it?" Dwalin shouted.   
Thorin looked torn for a moment before answering with "Of course!" 

The Last Homely House was as impressive as Belladonna had painted it in her tales to her young daughter and Ivy could only stare as they followed Gandalf through impressive gates. Pain began to eat at her as Gandalf spoke to Lord Elrond and she found her vision swimming as Gloin demanded to know if they had all just been insulted.   
The grey wizard looked pained as he answered "No Master Gloin, he did not insult you. He offered you food and rest."   
"Oh thank Yavanna" she stated as her knees gave out.   
  
Consciousness never left her but it did fade in and out as the dwarves shouted while someone carried her quickly past many trees. Voices flowed around her like a river over stones but it felt as though half of them were not speaking any language she knew, they did however all carry the same tone of concern and worry.   
 _Wonderful now they are going to think I am a burden and mental.  
_ A low voice whispered what held the inflection of sweet things in her ear but she could not get her muddled mind to sort out the sounds into words. Nonetheless she found herself calming down and just focused on their words and the smell of cedar; the jolt of being set down startled her from her trance and she shrieked as someone pulled her blouse away from her shoulder.   
"Quickly calm her before she starts bleeding again!" a deep voice barked and a warm  _bare_ hand landed on her brow while the other grasped her one of her flailing hands. A pulse shot through her again but this time it was followed by the feeling of comfort, like being wrapped in your favorite blanket with your favorite book while it's snowing outside.   
"I know not what you are doing Son of Kinur but do not stop till we are done." a new voice slipped through a crack in her lull.   
 _Son of Kinur?  
  
Who is the son of Kinur?   
  
  
_Bofur was the rock of his family; he never panicked, was steadfast through it all from his parents passing within a year of each other all the way to Bifur being injured in the Orc raid that took his niece. He prided himself on being the one their branch of the Broadbeams turned to as small as it was.   
From the moment he had Ivy's blood on his hand to when she collapsed in his arms he had felt more like sandstone instead of granite. Panic stole over him like an avalanche and his normally cheerful nature tried to run from the tide of snow.   
Tharkun and Lord Elrond quickly directed him where to take Ivy with Oin conversing with the healers and his kin trailing behind them as he jogged to keep up with the taller beings. Ivy's eyelids fluttered and she began to push against his chest making little mewling sounds of distress like a kitten caught in a storm.   
"Ivy, Ivy it's alright I have you." her struggles slowed and she seemed to lean into his broad chest more. His heart was beating so hard he swore it had to sound like a drum under her ear but the lass never twitched and he decided to continue whispering to her.   
 _"Asti zi abnamul... Menu tessu laslel... Ekespu menu men o targu men..."_  
  
The wound on her shoulder turned his stomach but the urge to leave never reared it's head and when Oin barked at him to hold her hand again he did it without thought. He missed the look the healers shared and instead shucked one glove and then other before touching her soft skin again.   
Ivy had been very fortunate that it wasn't a deep wound and Tharkun agreed with Elrond that she should heal quickly and with little scarring. Oin shooed all including the Lord of Rivendell from the room citing that everyone including himself needed to rest before turning to head down the hall to where the rest of Company was gathered.   
Strength fled him and Bofur sank down onto the bench outside her door with a groan before he thunked his head back against the wall "owww."   
" **Nadad** she will be fine. You cannot doubt the word of both a wizard and Lord Elrond." Bombur's soft voice soothed his frazzled nerves.  
" **Kun** " Bifur grunted in agreement.   
He nodded tugging one end of his mustache "I know you are right **Nadadith**."  
"Where is your hat?" 

  
Bofur's hat was in Ivy's pack but he didn't know that. 

Instead he found her with it a few days later as she was finishing a row of tiny neat stitches on the brow of it.   
"MY HAT!"   
The little hobbit had dropped it as if it burned and ducked her head to hide behind a curtain of red curls.   
She had been meaning to return it but when she saw the rip from the same claws that had caught her she just had to mend it. It was a fine hat, fur lined and obviously well loved but clean. A familiar scent rose from the material as she pulled the rent fabric back together and she found herself humming as she sewed. Oin had insisted she stay in bed and heal but you can only sleep so much and she had read the one book her room hosted a day ago.   
Bofur had told her he was stopping by after lunch but it was hard for her to tell time when she couldn't spot the sun and the elves seemed to keep their own rhythm.   
A calloused hands came into her view and she pushed the hat into them without looking up but they didn't take it! Instead those strong looking fingers gently shifted her hair from her eyes and she found herself looking into the smiling eyes of Bofur.   
"I didn't mean to scare you." he said much softer than before and she couldn't stop the smile that curled her lips in response.   
"We've been looking all over for my hat" he continued "I was beginning to think it had been left out there on the plain with a family of mice living in it now."   
A giggle slipped out at the thought of mice sleeping in the floppy winged hat and Bofur's eyes lit up.   
"It's a lovely hat" he stated gesturing as he spun his tale "just imagine generations of mice could live there happily until well you know how mice are" he winked at her "there would just be so many that POOF my hat would explode!"   
Laughter rolled from her and soon they were both rolling with the thought of a family of mice exploding from Bofur's hat.   
A new look came over Bofur as he gently touched her cheek and she found herself leaning into the warm touch as a _zing_ ricocheted through her.   
"You have a beautiful smile."  
The tips of her ears grew hot as she fluttered her lashes at him before saying softly "Thank you."   
A comfortable silence wrapped around them before a throat clearing had them pulling away from each other as they looked to the door.   
"It's only me cousin Bifur." Bofur smiled at her again and she found she couldn't stop smiling back at him.   
 **You should offer to take her for a walk** the wounded dwarf signed.   
Bofur frowned back  **Oin insists she stay in bed.  
** Bifur's shoulders shook with silent laughter  **He will be alright with a walk just out into the garden. Ask her.**

Ivy watched the exchange between cousins and wished not for the first time that she could understand the sign language they used. But she couldn't and she wasn't sure she was even allowed to learn considering their spoken language was supposed to be a secret according to Ori. So instead she studied the dwarf that was somehow managing to charm her and found she liked what she saw.   
Bofur without his ever present hat was intriguing only in the sense she had never seen much of his hair. He nor his family really wore the same amount of intricate and extensive braids like the rest of the Company save Kili and Thorin. He only had his hair divided in two for twin braids that somehow defied gravity to fly above his shoulders, Bifur seemed to only sport a few in his impressive black and white beard and from what she saw Bombur only had the hank of braided hair that could almost serve a belt. Bofur's hair was a deep chestnut color that looked surprisingly soft and she found her fingers fairly itched to card them through it. There were faint traces of red in the locks even in his curled mustache but it was mostly the deep color of chocolate and she found her mind wandering with her on if his kisses were sweet like chocolate.   
A roll of thunder broke the silent conversation and she quickly found herself being entertained by the cousins not minding a bit that she was still stuck in bed.   
  
  
The dinner that Lord Elrond invited them all too once she was healed was everything and more that Ivy could hope for as she took in the statues that ringed the balcony, the musicians that were seated off to the side and the wonderful smelling food spread out for them.   
Hoping against hope that the dwarves would behave better here than they had when they invaded her home she took a seat beside Bofur much to the toy maker's delight and began to fill her plate.   
"It's all green food" whinged Ori "I don't like green food."   
Dwalin was poking at the salad on his plate with a look similar to one she had seen him give the sacks the trolls had tied them in while Oin was busy stuffing a napkin in his ear horn. Thorin had vacated his place at the head of table to stand beside the tree that grew in the middle of the courtyard discretely taking drinks from a flask, Kili was trying to juggle rolls or perhaps potatoes while Fili was struggling to not laugh. Bifur and Bombur were the only ones not complaining as they tucked into the pile of greens each had in front of them.   
Ivy was quite content as she tucked into her food and did not notice when the others began to stir and complain.   
"Ya alright lass?" Bofur's voice alone made her smile and she nodded in response "You?"   
He gave her a rakish grin "Aside from my beautiful seat companion I think this is all a bit dull. These elves could stand to learn something from us dwarves."   
The others sitting around them nodded in agreement with a chorus of "Aye!"   
  
Bofur saw that wary look in Ivy's green eyes and it was the same one right before he had burst into song in her home. The hobbit lass looked pretty as picture sitting next to him with red curls spilling over her bare shoulders to where her white blouse began, the red in the print of her corset made it look even redder while the green made her eyes brighter. He would be full of shit if he didn't admit that seeing her dressed so made him want to press kisses to her full pink lips and all over the exposed skin of her throat and shoulders. Bifur would knock his block off if he so much as tried to touch her like that and so he sat there like a good lad and tried to ignore how she smelled of honeysuckle beside him.   
"Ach would you change the tune already?" Nori pleaded with the harpist seated behind him but the elleth only arched an elegant brow at him before strumming louder somehow "I feel like I'm a funeral." the star haired dwarf whined to his table mates.   
Oin pulled the napkin from his horn "Did someone die?" he looked around concerned pulling a chuckle from the rest while his brother assured him that no one had died.   
"Well there is only one way to fix this lads" Bofur stated with a broad grin before standing on his seat.   
Ivy froze mid-bite and looked up at him nervously.   
" _There is an inn, a merry old inn beneath an old grey hill,_  
 _And there they brew a beer so brown_  
 _That the Man in the Moon himself came down_  
 _One night to drink his fill."  
  
_ The hobbit looked torn between joining in the singing and sinking beneath the table as food began to fly through the air barely missing their host!   
 _"The ostler has a tipsy cat that plays a five-stringed fiddle;_  
 _And up and down he runs his bow,_  
 _Now squeaking high, now purring low,_  
 _Now sawing in the middle."  
  
_ Ivy was now clapping her hands along with them and smiling up at him with a twinkle in her eye that he found very enticing, so much so that he plucked her from her seat and they began to dance while he belted out the tune.   
 _"So the cat on his fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,_ _a jig that would wake the dead:_  
 _He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,_  
 _While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:_ _'It's after three!' he said._  
  
 _They rolled the Man slowly up the hill_ _and bundled him into the Moon,_  
 _While his horses galloped up in rear,_  
 _And the cow came capering like a deer,_ _and a dish ran up with the spoon."  
_  
Her laughter and the feel of her in his arms was stronger than any wine, the blood in his veins sang sweetly as his heart kept the time for him as they sang together. He didn't even notice that the elves were divided in enjoying the tune and sharing a commiserating look of "this is why we can't have nice things" as the food fight still ensued.   
 _"With a ping and a pong the fiddle-strings broke!_  
 _the cow jumped over the Moon,_  
 _And the little dog laughed to see such fun,_  
 _And the Saturday dish went off at a run_ _with the silver Sunday spoon._  
  
 _The round Moon rolled behind the hill_ _as the Sun raised up her head._  
 _She hardly believed her fiery eyes;_  
 _For though it was day, to her surprise_ _they all went back to bed!"_  
  
Ivy was breathless as she and Bofur dropped panting down on to a bench set in a alcove off the where they were all eating. She couldn't remember the last time she had enjoyed dancing so much nor when she had ever as fine a partner as Bofur.   
The sound of their panting to regain their breath drifted away as they took in the view of the setting sun painting the sky in violets and pinks.   
Bofur took one of her small hands in his much larger ones and she swore it stole the breath she had just regained; the dying sunlight pulled flecks of gold out in the warm depth of his eyes and her mouth suddenly felt very dry.   
"Thank you for dancing with me."   
Throat tight she felt stupid as she nodded squeezing his hand for good measure. Something shuttered in his eyes and her heart lurched to her throat at what she perceived as pain flashed there instead. Thoughts raced as she stared up at him and her mother's voice whispered " _show him how you feel."_  
 _Show him?_  
 _How in all of Middle Earth can I show him when I cannot get the words out!_  
  
Movement had her realizing her was pulling away from her! Panic fueled her as she grabbed the front of his tunic and pulled him down for her press her lips against his hot ones. His eyes flew wide and she clamped her own shut and braced herself for him to pull away from her but instead the most enticing sound came from deep in her chest and like lightening she was crushed to a chest much more muscular than she had expected as he deepened the kiss. The thought to end it on her own fled as she was consumed in a flame ignited from him touching her everywhere at once.   
"Ahem." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivy starts coming out of her shell and things get interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is taking a bit longer than I thought it would lol BUT I am loving the kudos and writing this pairing.   
> **Edited 2/7 to fix the odd mishap with the paragraphs.

Ivy hated being wet, she hated the cold rain that was plastering her hair to head, and she really hated the rain soaked stone that she was climbing following all these confusticated dwarves to probably her death. And now the damn rock was moving under her feet as she clung to Bofur’s belt. The miner had said five words to her since she kissed him and it ate at her until she felt like there was a hole where her stomach should be.  
Master McBroodyface had been the one to interrupt their kiss to request her to accompany him to the reading of the map and every time she looked up the King was giving her what felt like dirty looks. Pair that with Bofur’s now avoidance of her and she was ready to go home to die of misery.  
“Bless me! The myths are real… STORM GIANTS!” Bofur’s shout was lost to wind but not before she looked up to see a mountain walk past where they were huddled. A groan unlike any she had ever heard seemed to come from both under them and around. A small scream slipped out as a crack bloomed beneath her feet and suddenly she was in the before Bofur tossed her to the ledge that going past. Cries from the others rang in her ears as she saw families separated and half of the Company seemed to disappear in the rain.  
She clung to Bifur as the leg they were on moved and when someone shouted jump she gave it the best she could but her wet feet were no match for the slippery rock shelf they all landed on. With a shriek she felt the edge give way and she was falling until she managed to grab a ledge sticking out. The stone was sharp and she tried to not cry out as she clung there with rain blinding her.

A unseen force grabbed her by the back of her jacket and she found herself being hoisted into the air by none other than Thorin!  
Bofur was there to pull her the rest of the way up while Dwalin pulled their king to safety. The warmth from him seemed to drive the chill away and she was able to take a full breath for the first time since the rain started.   
“Thought we had lost her” Dwalin shouted clapping Thorin on the shoulder while the raven haired dwarf glared at her. Bofur released her suddenly and she found herself standing alone before them shivering in both shock and cold.

“She’s been lost ever since she left home! She has no place among us” Thorin roared blue eyes flashing as though they had captured the lightening from the sky. Pain consumed her and she struggled to not fold over as she felt tears begin to burn. The look Dwalin gave her was one of sorrow but she could not tell if it was sorrow that his king had lashed out so or that he agreed with Thorin. Tears leaked out as she turned to find Bofur’s back to her and only Bombur would meet her eyes over his brother’s shoulder. The look there was as much a mystery as anything and she let the tears come as she followed the others to where Kili and Fili shouted they had found a dry cave.

  
Bofur had been frozen in fear as Ivy fell. He felt like a fool for not leaping down as Thorin had to save the lass and he had given in the urge to hug when she was handed up to him from the abyss. The look his King wore when Dwalin pulled him up and he saw them embracing had him letting go of her before he could think to deny the order. Thorin had dressed him down for kissing their Burglar once he returned with her from the reading of Thror’s map. Bofur could understand to a point what had Thorin so angry but when he had tried to tell his King that Ivy was his One Thorin had dismissed it stating there was no way a halfling was any dwarrow’s One.  
So Bofur was resigned to keeping his distance from Ivy even though the pain he saw in her green eyes made him want to vomit at the knowledge it was his fault. Anger bordering on rage boiled in his belly as Thorin lashed out at her on the rain soaked mountain ledge and he had to turn to his kin before he punched his King right in his royal beak.  
**She’s crying Bofur** Bifur’s face creased a little as he looked past his cousin to where she stood alone in the rain. 

Sitting at the mouth of the cave Bofur plotted half a dozen ways to kill Thorin that would look like an accident as he kept watch. Nori could help him. The thief had to know a hundred different ways to kill a man or dwarf that would leave barely any marks.  
Sounds from the back of the cave drew his keen eyes to where Ivy had been sitting for some time by herself. It had taken more than he wanted to admit to not go to her when he heard her softly sobbing in the darkness and he knew from glancing around that the rest heard her as well while they feigned sleeping. It looked as though she was gathering up her things that had been hung to dry in vain on the boulders that dotted the cave. Thorin had forbid a fire so Bofur highly doubted anything dried but rather just got colder. Ivy’s eyes were red rimmed as she neared him in the dusk and he could see tear tracks that she had tried to rub away before coming to the mouth of the cave.  
“What are you doing Ivy?”  
She looked out into the gloom giving a small sniffle “I think- I think I’m going to go back to Rivendell. I do not belong here.”  
Bile burned his throat as he heard her softly add “Nor am I wanted.”  
“Ivy please listen to me. You belong with us, we need you. What would you return to? An empty home?”  
Irritation made her eyes glossy as she snapped at him “At least I have a home.”  
Horror at her own words widened her eyes and new tears spilled from them "I'm sorry I didn't- I didn't mean to say that. Oh Bofur..."   
She was right and he told her as such which only caused more tears to flow from her eyes. Her hand was cold as he carefully took in his own ready for her to pull back at any moment but when she didn't he used it to pull her closer to him until she was standing between his knees; her cheek was colder than her hand as he traced a tear track with a blunt finger. Black lashes fluttered down as she leaned a little into the warmth before pulling away with a shake of her head.   
"No Bofur, I can't... I know you're not- not..."   
Hot lips met cold as he lowered his head to claim them, silencing words that were like needles in his heart.   
" _I am and I do. We just have to be careful."_ he whispered against her stunned lips before kissing her deeply again.   
  
  
Either they had the worst timing ever or the Valar had something against them. 

Everywhere on Ivy hurt and the horrible caterwauling that was echoing through the goblin kingdom felt as though it was a steel spike going through an ear drum. In that moment she was almost envious of Oin's deafness as they were herded by nasty little goblins towards the biggest goblin she had ever seen. Albeit it was the first actual goblin she had ever seen in real life; she had seen the painting from when her Uncle Bullroarer had slain the Goblin King but this thing looked 10x the size of that one.   
"Ya know this makes me miss the music of the elves" Bofur announced from somewhere behind her getting pained laughs from the rest.   
The minions around them did not take kindly to Bofur's joke and began to hiss while swiping at any they could reach. A clawed hand caught her just right tearing her jacket and by the burn she knew it had scored her flesh. Anger fueled by fear and pain burned through her and without another thought she kicked the nasty little beastie right in the loin cloth where it dropped with a screeching howl. She had guessed correctly that it was male and she couldn't help a smirk of satisfaction as the other goblins skirted as far around her as the bridge would allow.   
"Miss Boggins kicked that goblin right in the stones!" Kili shouted almost in her ear and the urge to yell at him for trying to deafen her was lost in the cheers that erupted from the others.   
Bravado won out as she turned to bow to the group unfortunately exposing her back to the downed goblin; the foul little thing leapt onto her back and wrapped a hand in her red curls. Neither had expected the extra weight to throw her off balance and the last thing she saw was the panicked faces of Kili and Bofur as she fell.   


Bofur was sticky with the blood of he didn't even know how many goblins, sore from the fall through the trap door then that fucking goblin king landing on them and utterly heart broken. Tharkun had shown up just a little too late to save Ivy and was now looking almost as distraught as Bofur felt. The sliver of hope he had held onto in his battle rage had shattered completely when they burst from the mountain and into the sunshine but Ivy was not there.   
"Where did you see her last?" Tharkun asked them his eyes frantic as he looked back up the slope as if debating going back in to look for her.   
"She fell" answered Kili softly from where he leaned against his brother.   
Ori nodded with a soft sniff "I saw her fall over the edge too."   
Thorin was pacing like a caged animal shooting glances all around them and muttering under his breath.   
Tharkun leaned heavily upon his blood spattered staff looking far older than Bofur had thought possible "She cannot have perished.. surely she survived the fall."   
The creak of leather was loud as Thorin whipped around to face the wizard his blue eyes flashing as he shouted "I'm sure she survived and then she left! Miss Baggins is probably far from here by now. She saw the opportunity and she took it!"   
"I'm right here."   
  
Ivy had wanted to leave, knew she had the opportunity to when she had found the tunnel leading to the door with sunlight streaming through it. The fall had been broken between her landing on the goblin that was trying to kill her and a patch of large mushrooms. She had staggered through the dark, dazed and bleeding from more than one place but nothing serious. It had seemed fortunate when she stumbled up a skeleton that appeared to be pointing up a slope towards a hole in the cavern wall. Her stumbling feet had disturbed the bones and the tink of metal bouncing made her ears twitch as she followed the sound only to find a small golden ring amongst the stones.   
_What a lovely souvenir_ she thought tucking it into her pocket and dashing up the slope before anything could jump at her from the shadows that seemed to dance around her.   
The glow of the sun felt amazing as she ran out the door following the shouts of her dwarves.  
_Her dwarves. I guess they are whether they like it or not_ she smiled as she strolled quietly down the incline.   
The heartbreak on the faces she could see as they told Gandalf she had fallen made her chest ache but she stayed hidden while she listened to Thorin rant about her supposedly deserting them.   
"I'm right here."   
The look on the majestic prick's face made it all worth it while the joy on Bofur's made her heart race.   
Thorin's dark voice sounded like thunder as he asked the question she knew they all had "Why did you come back?"   
The shyness and fear that she normally felt facing the king was gone as she met his gaze full on "Because you need me. I have a home to return to it's true and I miss it dearly. I miss my books, my arm chair and seven proper meals a day but I cannot return to my home happy knowing that you and your people do not have a home. I promised to help you reclaim it and I will whether you believe in me or not."   
Astonishment lightened Thorin's beautiful eyes and he opened his mouth to ruin the moment but wargs beat him to it.   
"Fuzak." he swore under his breath.   
"Out of the frying pan" Gandalf started.   
"And into the fire." Thorin finished as they began to run. 

At the time Bofur would have sworn the meeting with the white orc was a blur of fire, fur and blood but in reality it was actually quite a drawn out thing full of strutting from Azog. Air was all the was under his feet as he dangled from the branches of the downed pine and he strained to see where Ivy was for fear she had fallen again. Cries from the lads alerted him to movement and he watched as Thorin stalked down the tree wreathed in flames and he knew that moment would be one that he'd never forget. Smoke obscured his vision, smoke making his eyes burn as the others began to shout in horror as Thorin fell before Azog and was gripped tightly in the teeth of the massive white warg he rode.   
"IVY NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"   
Try as he might he couldn't find the owner of the voice and he could just barely make out the small figure with curls the color of flame dashing down a trunk to be hopelessly outnumbered. His muscles screamed as he heaved and strained to pull his weight up on to the tree, a voice he had not heard in years shouting " _we do not let females protect us, **dushin mizim**. We protect them and if you are to fall then fall with your One not waiting for word to come back."   
_  
Ivy clung the feathers under hands and offered prayers in a continuous stream to Yavanna to get her safely to the ground, to keep her from throwing up on the giant birds back and most importantly to let Thorin and Bofur be alright. She had known it was foolish to run head long into a battle with nothing but her letter opener and no training but she had been the only one able to reach Thorin in time and she was damned if she was going to let him fall before they finished the quest. The first blows had sent violent tremors up her arm but soon it became easy to block the blows, adrenaline sang through her as she killed the orcs that were going to behead Thorin and she felt invincible when she had slain the white warg. That feeling was short lived when Azog in his fury had backhanded her into a boulder that left her seeing double and ears ringing like someone was holding a bell in her head. The monster had bore down on her and she closed her eyes waiting for the pain of him ending her but it never came. Roars of a new sort rang out around her and something hot sprayed her face making her gasp in shock. What she saw was something out of one of her books as the dwarves drove back the orcs that had followed Azog and what more was the blood was not her own but that of Azog! Bofur stood before her with his mattock out, teeth bared in a snarl that had some of the lesser orcs running away from him and back into the burning trees; Azog was down before the hatted dwarf howling in pain and barking order that none seemed to be listening to. Peering around Bofur she saw that one of the orc's knees was nothing but a wash of red gore! Bofur had crippled him!   
"The eagles are here!"   
She watched as Manwe's eagles swooped down to pluck the dwarves from the burning earth, awe stealing any fear she had as she watched some of the eagles also chuck the orcs that remained off the cliff before circling back. The eagle that grabbed her and Bofur looked to be the last and they were lifted away she saw a few orcs sneak out to drag Azog back into the bracken. She knew in her gut this would not be the last time they saw the Melkor cursed spawn. Bofur had been dropped onto the back of the eagle that carried Bifur and she was deposited on one that was near them but the wind was too fast and cold for any information to pass between them.   
  
The urge to kiss the rocky ground where the eagles dropped them was strong but her worry over Bofur was greater and she ran to where he stood with his kin.   
"Are ya alright Ivy?" Bombur wrung his hands as he looked her up and down while Bifur was fussing at something on Bofur's shoulder. Her blood ran cold and she thought she might pass out as the injured dwarf pulled away Bofur's vest to reveal a long gash high on his side.   
"Mahal's balls Bofur you're hurt! Where is Oin? Does he know?" her breath was coming in short gasps as she stepped closer to investigate the damage done to him "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault! You got hurt protecting me because I did something dumb. You never should have had to come save me. What were you thinking!"   
Bofur gave his brother a pleading look while Bifur wrapped a long piece of cloth around the wound to help staunch the bleeding while Oin was busy with their king.   
Heavy hands landed on her shoulders and she found Bombur's kind face very close to her own "Ivy calm down! Take a deep breath. Good, now another one."   
The little hobbit did as he told her and she felt her heart slow down, control of emotions returned a little but the questions still poured from her mixed with apologies.   
  
Bofur wanted to go to her, wanted to hug Ivy and assure her that it was alright, that he would happily do it all over again if it meant saving her but his cousin seemed hell bent on squeezing the air from him.   
"Bom help me out."   
Bombur shook his red head with a small smile before turning back to the panicked lass.   
"Ivy" She looked up at his brother "Stop apologizing."   
A pink flush stole over her cheeks and made her look adorable as she tried to argue "But this is my..."   
Bombur shook his head at her "This is not your fault. My brother would do it all over again to protect the one he loves."   
Ivy's mouth fell open and even with the dried blood on her she still looked so damn cute to him "Loves? Me? What?"  
Bofur laughed even though it sent pain screaming through his side "Congratulations Bombur you've managed to make her speechless!"   
Ivy seemed to recover quickly, fire flashing in her green eyes as she stomped over to where he was sitting on a boulder while Bifur finished binding him.   
"You- you clothead!" she stomped a furry foot stirring a little cloud of dust.   
"What did I do?" he cried as she grabbed him by the shirt and pulled his face to hers.   
"That is not how you tell someone you love them." she growled against his lips before kissing him so soundly his toes curled in his boots.  
   
"WHERE IS THE BURGLAR! WHERE IS SHE?" Thorin's voice boomed.   
  
Ivy pulled away from Bofur's sweet lips with a groan "I swear he could ruin a wet dream." she muttered as she turned to stomp over to where Thorin was leaning on Dwalin.   
Thorin's eyes were a clearer shade of blue like a cornflower than she had every seen before. Long had she become used to the beautiful color darkened with a scowl or scorn for whatever was going on around them.   
"Did I not tell you that you didn't belong amongst us?" he started and she felt herself tense up  _If this is another put down I'm going to slug him.  
_"Did I not say that you were a burden and would only get in the way?"   
The Company around them began to stir as they bristled at his words to her.   
"I have never been so wrong is all my life."   
Ivy froze as did everyone around them as she gaped up at him "I'm sorry, what?"   
Thorin stiffly bowed to her before pulling her into the tightest hug she had ever received "I was wrong and I'm sorry for doubting you Miss Baggins."   
  
Getting down from the Carrock was almost as terrifying for Ivy as the flight there and she was forever grateful when Dori took pity on her with the offer to carry her down the remaining steps. The stairs had obviously been carved for a being much taller than she and while the dwarves managed alright Ivy would have to jump down them one by one.   
The silver haired dwarf would not accept her thanks for helping her saying it was the least he could do with her saving their king. This new attitude was going to take some getting used to but it was nice to not feel so alone.  
Their walk was quiet as Kili and Fili scouted ahead to find a source of water, she tugged her pack higher as she realized that most of the company had lost theirs somewhere along the way either in the goblin tunnels or the following fight.   
Bofur and his family brought up the rear talking softly as Bofur leaned on his cousin never slowing the pace. He caught her looking and winked at her, laughing as a blush stole over her features again.   
_Did Bombur really mean it when he said Bofur loved her?_  
"Miss Baggins can I have a word?"   
She hadn't even heard Ori approach her and she tried to smile reassuringly at the young dwarf as he stammered an apology for startling her.   
"It's fine Master Ori. What did you need?"   
"I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about hobbits?" his kind eyes held hope as he waited for her answer.   
"Of course" she nodded.   
Faster than she could blink he produced a pencil and journal from somewhere in his layers and she found herself answering a multitude of questions as they walked.   
  
The boys had found a lovely clearing but apparently the White Orc had not given up on his quarry and in the middle of the night they found themselves running again with a wargs behind them and something large in the woods beside them.   
Ivy barely noticed the gate they ran through her eyes were so focused on the massive door that Gandalf was holding open for them. The dwarves quickly slammed it shut and no sooner had they then something very big hit causing the entire cottage to shudder.   


Of all the beings to need such a large home Ivy had never envisioned a man such as Beorn. Try as she might she couldn't help staring up at the skin changer as he towered over them all even Gandalf! The wizard had wanted her close by for the telling of their tale so far but she had not expected Beorn to pluck her from her seat beside her friend. Her squeal of shock brought Thorin, Dwalin, Bofur and Bifur to their feet which only caused their host to boom with laughter before handing her up a slab of homemade bread slathered in honey butter. Food went a very long way in keeping a hobbit content and Beorn must have known that as he kept her supplied in fresh bread with honey, strawberries and his homemade honey mead. The sun was low when Gandalf finally wrapped up their journey to its current point and with a low chuckle Beorn sat her very gently down beside Bofur.   
"That is an excellent tale and if it proves true you have my thanks and leave to stay here as long as you need. If you are lying to me well lets not talk about that just yet." his steps shook the very chair that Ivy was sitting in as he made his way to the door "Do not go out after dark. Keep this door barred until dawn. I will sleep in the barn once I return. If you need anything just ask the sheep."   
The mead had loosened her tongue considerably as she blurted out "You were the bear I saw last night!"   
He folded his massive frame in the middle as he bowed to her "That I am, little bunny."   
  
Bofur wasn't sure how he felt about the nickname their host had bestowed upon Ivy but he wasn't in any condition to argue it. A condition that Ivy had not forgotten as she waved Oin over and informed the old healer that Bofur had been injured during the scuffle with Azog.   
The steel haired dwarf had seized Bofur by the ear marching him towards ther washroom lecturing him the entire way about not telling him about the wound sooner.   
"Honestly it's just a scratch!" Bofur protested as Oin forced him to sit a stool and motion for him to take his gear off.   
"I will be judge of that, laddie!" Oin shook his horn at him and began to unpack his kit on the bench behind them.   
Pain sharper than Bofur was expecting flared to life as he shrugged off his vest and tried to lift his arms to remove his tunic "Ah shit."   
"What's that? Hurts a bit eh? Just a scratch my old arse. Get one of your kin to help you or we'll have to cut it off." Oin made the snipping motion of scissors with his old fingers and Bofur looked to see Bombur backing from the room looking pale.   
"You know I don't handle family blood well, **Nadad** " his brother reminded him weakly.    
"Where's Bifur?"   
Bombur stopped on the threshold "He's laying down with one of his headaches."   
"Oh aye I gave him the last of his headache remedy I carry but I think he waited a bit too long to take it." Oin confirmed with a nod.   
"I'll do it."   
Ivy stood just behind Bombur and a shared look between the brothers ended with Bombur letting her into the room.   
She slipped into the room on silent feet and stopped beside Bofur as she waited for Oin to notice her. The healer finally did when he turned around and almost dropped his horn.   
"How can I help?"   
Oin motioned to Bofur "Help him take his tunic off or I'm cutting it off. And be quick about it!"   
Green eyes serious she studied the cut of his shirt before asking "How do you want to do this?"   
  
"Shiiiiite" Bofur groaned as Ivy helped him free his arm before pulling the tunic over his head taking his hat with it. The pain burned and throbbed from shifting the muscles along his ribs.   
"Oh my" Ivy's whisper was breathy and unlike anything he had heard before. Her cheeks were flushed a deep pink but the glint in her eye made him think it wasn't from shyness this time; he felt a bit like a piece of meat as her eyes roved all over his bare chest and arms.   
"Here now lass stop ogling the poor lad and hold this!" Oin thrust a tray of items into the hobbit's hands before turning his back to her.   
  
Ivy had seen males topless before but they hadn't been anything like this. Bofur's chest was well defined with hair dusting it but that's not what held her attention the most. He had tattoos! She knew it was part of their culture and that many of the company had them but for some reason she never thought about Bofur having them. There were runes similar to the ones Dwalin had tattooed on his scalp and some intricate knot work on his chest but what intrigued her the most was a vine of ivy that wrapped around one massive bicep.   
She let her eyes drink in the details of a topless Bofur as she handed whatever Oin wanted while he slathered strong smelling ointments on the injury and told Bofur he was lucky he did not need stitches.   
"Alright lass take him to bed."   
Ivy almost dropped the tray she was holding "I'm sorry what?"   
Oin stopped packing away his things to stare at her "I said take him up and put him to bed. No shirt tonight."   
_Yavanna's toes..._ "Alright"   
  
The walk up to the loft where they were all sleeping was quiet as Ivy walked beside him with his tunic and hat in her hands.   
_Why isn't she speaking to me?  
Does she not like what she sees?   
Is it my tattoos?  
  
  
_Ivy wasn't sure what happened honestly. One minute they were standing beside Bofur's bed roll while she helped him to sit down without jostling his side much and the next she was straddling his thick thighs kissing him senseless. A soft groan slipped from his lips and she pulled back before his hand was in her hair pressing her back with a whispered " _no._ "   
"You're hurt" she pointed out softly "Oin said you're to rest."   
"But your kisses make me feel so much better" Bofur pouted at her trying to flutter his lashes "Just a few more kisses. You won't hurt me."   
"Alright" she kissed him lightly "But then you need to rest."   
"I promise I'll rest later."   
His kisses were sweeter than the honey that she had consumed and she struggled to figure out where to put her hands as they fluttered over his bare skin like butterflies. Finally she settled for his shoulders but soon found that she wanted to touch him all over. Each new caress drew a sound from him and they were just as intoxicating as his kisses. His hands slipped her jacket from her shoulders as he ghosted kisses along her throat and soon the felt them pulling at her shirt that was tucked into her pants.   
" _Bofur?_ " she breathed.   
His hands stilled "Do you want me to stop?"   
Indecision warred within her and she struggled with her thoughts for a moment.   
_You faced down the white orc and killed his warg.  
  
You defended Thorin when no one else would.  
  
Do you want this?  
  
You know he loves you. You love him.   
  
_Tangling her fingers in his hair she shook her head "Don't stop."   
His hair was just as soft as she thought it would be and apparently tugging lightly on it did something for him that she hadn't expected. With a low moan he had her free of her shirt and had managed to remove her pants without her even noticing.   
" _ **Men lananubukhs menu**_ " he murmured against her throat as his strong hands cupped her ass. The fuzz of his chest hair teased her nipples and she shivered against him as she pulled his mouth up to hers again.   
  
Bofur had never felt anything as soft as Ivy's skin and the more he touched of her he craved more. She made the sweetest sounds as he caressed every part that he exposed and she tasted sweet everywhere he kissed. Part of him wanted to hold back perhaps stop even but the more she shivered and moaned softly the more he wanted. He had been prepared to stop when he asked her and he had thought she was going to ask him too. You could have knocked him over with a feather when she whispered " _don't stop."  
_She seemed to know just how and where to touch him to make his cock harder and harder. He had no clue how far they would go but he wasn't freeing it unless she said so.   
As if sensing his thoughts her tiny hand slid down the front of him to trace the edges of his belt buckle before she began to tug at him while she nibbled along the edge of his jaw.   
"A little help, _annwyl_?"   
He chuckled softly " _are ya sure you want to release it?_ "   
Her voice was a breathy purr in his ear " _yes._ "   
  
The night air was cool against his throbbing erection but the chill was forgotten the minute she wrapped her small hand around him with a "mmmmmm" from her throat. The sounds of the Company relaxing downstairs faded away as he traced her spine with his fingers till he could bury them in her curls. A blunt finger grazed one of her ears and she arched against him so sweetly he had to do it again.    
" _Annwyl_ " she whispered sinking her fingers into his hair and dragging his mouth back up to hers.   
" **Laslel** " he rumbled back as he kissed his way along her jaw and traced the bottom of her ear with his tongue   
" _Rwy'n dy garu di_ " she hissed arching against him while dragging her nails up his back.   
"Like that do ya?" he growled following the leaf shape all the way to the tip.   
"Y-yes" she panted "so sensitive."   
A sweet gasp filled the air as he applied his mouth to her ear sucking and nibbling till he reach the point; she writhed and ground against his hard cock until he thought his eyes would cross. Ivy moved against him in the rhythm as old as time and kept getting closer to actually mounting him.   
"Do you want this Ivy?" grass green eyes filled with moonlight stared at him, her lips kiss swollen and a new blush staining her cheeks and chest.   
"Yes."she answered breathlessly "I want this. I want you Bofur."   
His heart sang and he could have swore he almost blacked out as she lowered herself down to sheath him. A small hiss of pain whistled between her teeth but when he asked if she was alright she just moaned "so full."   
"Take your time" he sighed against her chest as he savored the feeling of her surrounding him in every sense; soothing hands ran all over her shoulders and back down to her thighs.   
  
Ivy had never felt anything like this in her entire life.  
Bofur filled her body perfectly, the sting just being a breach of her maidenhead. The feeling after the pain of being so full and so close to someone she cared so much for was heady and exquisite. She knew the mechanics of sex and once the burn had dulled to an ache in the back of her mind she rocked against him. At first it didn't feel like much and she worried she was doing something wrong; the only things telling her otherwise was the look on Bofur's face and the small noises he was making in his throat with his eyes shut, hair falling across his forehead and down to his chest now that it had come unbraided. The sight and sound of the pleasure she was bringing him with her body sent a thrill down her spine and she felt something begin to build low in her belly.   
**"Azrali zi du namrul."**  
His words burned through her even as she had no idea what they meant.   
"Yes, _Yavanna_ yes" she moaned against his mouth as she kissed him deeply. Her thoughts were consumed with just touching and being touched, concern for what they had been through or what was ahead of them was banished as she loved him.   
Panic sobered her for a second as Bofur laid back on the mat, a moon beam bathing him in silvery light, winking off a ring she had never noticed in one nipple and his navel. He looked better than a slice of chocolate cake laying there like that beneath her and he only completed it as he smiled rakishly up at her "I'm fine." while rolling his hips.   
Stars burst behind her lids as the new sensation made her eyes roll back and she braced her hands well below his bandage on his furred stomach.   
" _Oh melys Yavanna_."  

Arched above him half in shadow Ivy was breathtaking as she discovered their passion, each new sound made Bofur feel harder than marble and he let his hands wander over her body to distract his mind. Her skin was softer than anything he'd ever felt including silk Nori had brought from the south once. He kept a keen ear turned towards the door in case of footsteps but majority of his attention was on the lass riding him. Letting her set the pace was maddening for him but he could almost taste her inexperience and was afraid of hurting her somehow. Another roll of his hips timed perfectly to meet her had Ivy almost sobbing as his large hands cupped her breasts.   
"Please" her moan hitched as he met her again.   
Gasps soon turned to soft cries and he buried a hand in her curls to pull her down to meet his mouth, swallowing the sounds from the new angle as he drove up into her. Soft sounds from them and of flesh meeting flesh was all that could be heard as they made love in the moonlight.   
He felt the first shudder and gripped her arse as she began to orgasm on top of him; he struggled to keep the pace as her spasms pushed him to his own peak and he came with a quiet shout. Ivy collapsed boneless on top of him and he was so flush with afterglow he didn't even notice his side protesting from her weight across him.   
  
Ivy had never felt anything like that before; the pleasure had been so intense it had felt as though her body had shattered and then came back together. Now her muscles felt like bread dough, and there was not a drop of tension in her body for the first time in a very long time. Bofur's heart was a steady beat beneath her ear and she felt so content she could have slept there if it hadn't been for him sitting up suddenly shifting her to the side. He curled around her and she slept feeling safe for the first time since Rivendell. 

 

Bofur tried not to groan as Nori dropped down on the bench beside him and hoped if he left his hat over his eyes the thief would take the hint to bugger off.   
"You're Welcome."   
He didn't have to look to know that Nori was wearing his 'cat got the cream' self satisfaction smile.   
"For what?" he rumbled not taking the bait.   
The wood furniture creaked as Nori got comfortable and mimicked his position of reclining back against the wall "For last night."   
"Nori I'm sore all over and do not have the patience for this. What in Mahal's hairy dangling bits are you talking about?"   
Nori sniggered "You're awfully grouchy for someone that got to have sex with their One last night."   
"You know no one will believe I killed you, right?"   
  
Bofur wasn't the only one sore as Ivy decided that for today walking was overrated unless she was on the verge of messing herself. Muscles she wasn't even aware she possessed hurt and she honestly wasn't sure if it was from the fight, the running or the coupling from last night. It had been everything she had hoped for with Bofur and she thought he had agreed until he discovered the blood from deflowering her.  
Something had shifted in him and she hadn't seen him since the sun came up. She had heard her aunts whisper about men being different the morning after but she never gave it much thought considering how shy she was.   
So she gave him space.   
  
  
Bofur had meant to speak with Ivy while they were still at Beorn's but finding the right time never seemed to present itself. Either he was being fussed over by Oin or his brother or she was being fussed over by Dori or the Princes. Considering how shy she was he did not want to broach the topic of their tryst within ear shot of anyone.   
He wasn't upset about being her first lover.   
At first it had been shock and then he had been upset because even though he had realized she was inexperienced had he known she was a virgin he'd have taken even more care with her.   
Nori had made him feel quite dense when he finally told his best friend what had him so ruffled; the star haired dwarf had point blank asked him why he assumed Ivy had had any previous lover considering how reserved she was. He compared her to his younger brother Ori who was almost as shy as the hobbit. The thought of the little scribe having paramours was so absurd that they had burst out laughing until Ori wandered up to ask what was so funny. Bofur hadn't been going to tell him but Nori spilled it when Ori threatened to Dori what happened to his good fabric scissors. The russet haired dwarf had told them both off before stomping away to sit with Ivy in the shade of a large tree.   
  
Vaire's weaving waits for no one and they soon found themselves on ponies borrowed from their host on their way to the borders of Mirkwood.   
The forest was obviously sick to even the dwarves but Ivy had an almost desperate look on her face as she begged Gandalf for a way around the cursed woods.   
"I'm sorry my dear. Any other way around would take too long and you must reach the Lonely Mountain by Durin's day." Gandalf patted her shoulder reassuringly but Ivy still eyed the woods warily.   


Of all the things this fucking forest could throw at them the last thing Ivy had expected or wanted to deal with were giant nasty spiders.   
But of course those buggers existed and they had come scuttling from who knows where to kick the Company when they were down somehow missing Ivy in the process while she slept sheltered by Bofur. Timing is everything and she had to give it whomever that she picked then to learn that the queer little ring she had found would turn her invisible!   
The world became a wash of greys, blacks and whites that never held still so that her stomach rolled but it was very handy indeed to cut her dwarves down without those sins against nature noticing her.   
She almost completely lost her shit when she reached the ground only to discover that all the dwarves she had just rescued were now in being tied up by elves!   
Instead she opted to follow closely behind them cursing under her breath the whole way.   
Ivy watched from the shadows careful not to cast on herself as the Company was marched before the King of Mirkwood, Thranduil. She was torn between laughing at times as Thorin insulted the Elf and the urge to run up and kick the tree shagger (as Dwalin called them) in the shins for insulting all of them.   
  
Satisfaction and payback came in the form of her moving things around the palace, stealthily tripping the guards and over salting some of the food that she knew was being served to Thranduil.   
  
Bofur had thought he might throw up, not entirely sure if it would be from the spider venom still in his system or the thought of Ivy still out in those Melkor tainted woods. He had strained to see if she amongst them as they marched but it became clear when they were in front of Thranduil that she was not with them. He had hoped she was hiding somewhere he could spot but neither him nor Nori spotted her anywhere. They had all hoped the dungeons would be of shoddy make and easily escaped but luck was not on their side and studying the cell he was sharing with Nori he hated to admit it was well done.    
" **Do you think she's still out there**?" he whispered to Nori as they watched their kin be separated into the other cells across a ravine.   
Nori was sulking because the elves had even found the blades he had hid in his elaborate braids but he cut a worried glance at him " **I don't know. She's smart though. I'm sure she'll be fine.** "   
  
He thought the elves were trying to torment him when he finally fell asleep he was awoken by something small hitting his face.   
"Fuck off! Let me sleep." he snarled not opening his eyes.   
A whisper so soft he almost thought he was imagining it drifted through the cell _"Annwyl._ "  
"Ivy?" he flailed as he jerked fully awake an arm thrown out caught Nori right in the face "Owww what the hell Bof?"   
His complaints were silenced by the sound of their door unlocking.   
  
It had taken Ivy longer than she cared to admit to find the others and once she did she was determined to find Bofur's first. The elves had done a fine job scattering the company about over three walkways and she found herself once again cursing them. She had their escape figured out long before she revealed herself to them; it didn't make much sense when she admitted it afterwards but at the time she had been worried about false hope rather than if the lot of them were worried sick about her.   
Bofur had seized her in a hug that crushed the air from her lungs and if any had remained he kissed her senseless after that.   
"I love you Ivy Baggins. Don't you ever scare me like that again." and he kissed her again.   
Tears burned her eyes as she looked up at his warm brown eyes, curled mustache and floppy hat "I love you too Bofur. No promises."   
To which Nori laughed so hard he almost fell off the walk way.   
They found the others quickly saving Thorin for last since he was actually the closest one to how she intended to rescue them all.   
  
Bofur noticed they were heading farther down instead of up but he waited to see just what his lass had in mind.   
His lass.   
Their entire stay in the wretched place was something he had hoped to forget but hearing her say she loved him was something he'd cherish always.   
"Where are you leading us lass?" Dwalin drawled as she pushed open a heavy wooden door.   
"Tonight the elves are celebrating something that loosely translated is the 'Feast of Stars' and they began drinking hours ago. I figured out we can escape in these" she gave a flourished wave of her arm and revealed 12 barrels neatly stacked.   
Thorin pursed his lips and for a moment it looked like he might erupt but instead he just nodded while moving to stand beside the barrel he apparently claimed.   
"Ya can't be serious lass" Gloin grumped swishing his red mustache.   
She smiled sweetly "oh but I am. And unless you want to stay here I suggest you get your asses in the barrels."   
The collective group froze at the steel behind her smile and Bofur could only beam as he hopped into his own barrel.   
  
The trip down the river in a barrel that reeked of wine was not something Bofur had ever wanted to do and this proved it. They had been alright at first despite Ivy not thinking of a barrel for herself and then the trap door closing before she could jump down. Dwalin and Thorin had managed to keep them from moving till she figured out how to trigger it again.   
Then there was the gate and the fun orc pack that popped up to mess with them. Kili had been quick to jump ashore to open the gate but caught an arrow with his thigh in the process. During all this Ivy was clinging for life to the outside of Nori's barrel and Bofur was trying to keep his barrel between theirs and the orcs.   
After a spectacular waterfall they finally put some distance between them and the woodland realm only to find a Lake-man with a bow at the end. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation  
> Laslel~ Rose of roses  
> Azrali zi du namrul.~ I want to fuck you.   
> Men Lananubkhs menu~ I love you
> 
> Welsh  
> "Rwy'n dy garu di~ I love you.  
> Melys~ sweet


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now the rest of our lovers tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I couldn't silence the idea for this version and it was getting in the way of my writing Cookies for the Road and Purely Physical. Too many bunnies hopping about.

Ivy wasn't sure she had ever seen anything as sad as Laketown. Balin and Thorin had worked out a deal with Bard the Boatman for safe passage into the town of Man on Long Lake. The dark complected Man had seemed hesitant until she had sneezed and begun to sniffle. Bard had assumed she was a child at first and little changed when he learned she was actually a Hobbit. The dwarves had helped him gather up the very barrels they had escaped in and then they all had boarded the skiff Bard manned. The farther they went the poorer she felt as her nose stuffed up and she began to shiver. Ori noticed her state first coming over to wrap his cloak around her shoulders next came Nori who alerted Bifur and Bombur. The red head dropped down beside her rocking the vessel and making the others curse while he pulled her against his bulk. Bofur found her dozing there and alerted Oin to the fact she was ill.   
The rest of the boat ride into Laketown was lost in a fevered doze but as they climbed from the boat to the small landing near Bard's home she took in every sad detail.   
  
The Company decided that it was best for them to wait the night out at Bards but also that when they went with Thorin to meet the Master of Laketown that Ivy should stay behind. She didn't like it and tried to protest loudly between boughts of sneezing and coughing. Bard surprisingly agreed with the dwarves that Ivy should stay out of sight for the time being stating that Alfrid the right hand of the Master was a bit of a unsavory character around females.   
So Ivy sat at Bard's home with his children while they went to meet this Master.   
"Drink up Miss Baggins. Master Oin wants you to finish that tea by the time they return." Sigrid, Bard's eldest daughter reminded with a smile as she stirred a pot of stew.  
Sigrid was a sweet girl and Ivy didn't want to tell a child to bugger off so she forced down the foul tasting brew that Oin had refused to add honey to "I'm going to lie down for a minute."   
"Are you alright Miss Baggins?" Bain was a miniature of his father as he watched the hobbit go to her pallet by the fire.   
"I'm fine Bain, just tired and I don't feel well. A little rest is the ticket."   
  
 _The Lord of Silver Fountains, the King of Carven Stone,  
the King Beneath the Mountain, shall come into his own.   
And the bells shall ring in gladness, at the Mountain King's return,   
But all shall fail in sadness, and the Lake will shine and burn.   
  
_The meeting with the Master of Laketown left Bofur feeling slightly oily and he was very glad they had left Ivy at Bard's. The little Man Alfrid made all the dwarves uncomfortable and it only escalated as they ate with the Master; they had seen Alfrid grope several of the serving women and bruises peeked from under the female's sleeves as they passed dishes.    
"I thought there were 14 of you" Alfrid's eyes flicked from face to face.   
Thorin straightened in his seat "You would be mistaken. Just 13 in number are we."   
Bofur exchanged looks with his kin and then with Nori across the table. Nori tapped his nose and with a wink seemed to melt from the table without anyone noticing.   
  
  
The lodgings the Master had promised them looked little better than the tar paper shacks the Men outside Ered Luin lived in but once they looked around in the daylight it was realized this was lavish compared to how the rest of the town lived.   
" **This place is awful** " Dwalin growled as they noticed the dirty faces of children peeking at them from the windows and doors.   
" **Aye it is** " Thorin nodded with sour look on his face " **Once we reclaim Erebor we'll seek out the heir of Girion and try to set things right with the descendants of Dale.** "   
" **The Master has certainly betrayed the trust of his people to make himself rich"** Balin observed with a sniff as they mounted the steps " **Bin' adad**."   
  
Ivy recovered quickly from her cold and soon began to chafe at being kept indoors away from the prying eyes of the Master and Alfrid's spies. Kili quickly became a distraction for her as it came to light that his arrow wound was not 'healing nicely' as the prince had put it. It in fact was quite infected to the point the smell turned Ivy's stomach as she helped Oin clean it. Too soon a fever followed and Ivy found herself taking turns with Fili putting cold rags on the young dwarf's forehead while Oin desperately tried to find a concoction that would break it.   
Bofur offered what help he could and helped Bombur make broth after broth to keep the lad's strength up while he sweated through everything he owned.   
Out of all of them Ivy seemed to be able to calm Kili better than even his Uncle or brother so she spent most of her time in Kili's room while Fili went to meetings with his Uncle, Dwalin, Balin and the Master.   
"Take this up to the lass, will ya?" Bombur thrust a warm bowl of stew and some bread into his hands.   
Ivy was bathed in the glow of one candle as he eased the door open and she held a finger to her lips while nodding towards a dozing Kili who had an arm thrown across her waist.   
 _"How is he?"  
_ She ran a hand across the lad's sweaty brow " _No change unfortunately. He says it doesn't hurt but he won't move it either._ "   
" _Here Bom sent you up stew with fresh bread. Once Kee is awake I'll bring up broth_." Bofur turned towards the door with a nod.   
 _"Stay... please."_    
  
He watched her finish her food and sat her bowl on the dresser by the door so he wouldn't forget it. They sat in silence for a while listening to the others move around below them and Kili whimper in his sleep. Questions hung in the air between them and knowing they could be interrupted at any moment Bofur decided to ask anyway.   
"Ivy..why didn't you tell me you were a maiden?"   
She blushed prettily "I didn't think it mattered really" she shrugged.   
"It mattered to me."   
"I figured that out" she acknowledged ducking her head "Why?"   
He moved to sit across from her on the bed "Why?"   
She looked up at him through her lashes "Yes, why?"   
He was stunned as he looked at her "Because I would have been more careful, I would have been gentler."   
Ivy laughed softly before reaching out to take his hand "Oh Bofur I love you."   
A smile curled his lips at how easily she said it "I love you too Ivy but what is so funny?"   
She tucked some curls behind a ear that was still blush colored "I wouldn't have changed it for the world. It was perfect, _Cariad_."   
Slowly he kissed each of her knuckles "Truly, Laslel?"   
"Listen to your **Khebabmudtu**." Kili grumbled against Ivy's hip.   
"Kili" she scolded softly stroking his sweaty brow "it's rude to eavesdrop."   
"Didn't mean to **Mudumel**."   
"What did you just call me?" Kili answered her with a snore so she turned to Bofur with a raised brow.   
"Nothing bad my dear. It means basically 'comfort of Comforts." his heart skipped a beat as she smiled softly down at the sleeping prince and an image of her comforting their child bloomed in his mind.   
  
When in doubt always try the old medicines. Kings foil turned out to be the answer and all it took was Ivy wracking her brain on her grandmother's teachings. Obviously it had been a few generations since any Orcs had been seen anywhere near the Shire thanks to the Bounders and Dunedain but the stories were still shared to pass on old remedies. Not Bullroarer but one of his sons had been injured by an Orc arrow and the Dunedain chieftain had healed him with what the Hobbits considered a weed. It just took forever for Ivy to remember what weed! A stroke of luck that the Men of Laketown fed it to their pigs.   
Despite being on the mend Thorin still told Kili to stay behind with Ivy while the rest of the Company went to a 'celebration' in their honor to mark their heading to the Lonely Mountain in the morning.   
For the first time in his life Bofur wasn't sure he wanted to go drink with the lads and was clearly torn with staying behind with Ivy.   
"Go, try to have fun" she prodded with a kiss on his whiskered cheek "we'll be fine here."   
His gravity defying braids almost looked to droop a little as he looked at her "I dunno, **Laslel**."  
She smiled up at him "You need to go. The Master will be suspicious if you're not all there and then he'll come here."  _and find me_ hung in the air between them. The thought of the Master or Alfrid more so seeing Ivy made his stomach churn, the thought of one of them trying to touch her made him clench his fists at the beginning of rage.   
"Hey" she kissed him soundly on the lips "don't think about it. You'll be back before you know it."   
  
That would be one of the few times Ivy was wrong.   
Bofur wasn't back before he, she or anyone else knew it; he wasn't even back before dawn. Bofur had gotten caught up in a drinking contest with the Master and a few guards mostly to stop their nonstop questioning of who else was in their lodgings. He won but quickly slipped under the table to sleep off the massive amount of booze it took to win.   
Thorin had tried to stall their leaving while Bombur and Bifur looked for him but the people of Laketown almost literally pushed them to the boats. Kili's leg was not well enough he stayed with the promise that someone would be down to get him in just a few days.   
Ivy had been hidden under Fili's cloak until they were well under way in the boats. She was only able to glance back once in time to see Bofur standing beside Kili looking stricken before he dropped to vomit over the pier.   
  


Ivy hated the way the earth felt beneath her feet. She was tired of walking over rocks, bracken and charred ground. The only high point was the feeling of life slowly stirring as they climbed the mountainside; it was completely dead like the dwarves thought just in a very deep thanks to the dragon. Evenings were quiet affairs both due to their surrounds and because two of the happiest members were not there. It suited Ivy fine since she was so exhausted at the end of each day of trekking she barely had the energy to eat. Missing Bofur made her feel like she was missing a limb or a part of herself. Sleeping eased the pain in her chest and for a little while she could dream that he was with her, making jokes and singing songs while they crossed the Desolation of Smaug as it had been dubbed.   
  
"Are you alright, **Namad**?" Bombur slowed to walk beside her, concern crinkling the corners of his kind eyes.   
"Just tired" she answered him with a small smile she didn't really feel "I can feel the earth and it makes me tired. What did you call me?"   
Bombur blushed a little while Bifur chuckled behind them "Sister."   
Warmth grew in her cheeks and she found her vision blurring a little "That's so sweet." she squeaked.   
  
Bofur was pretty sure this was Aule's version of Hell as he watched the Lonely Mountain with Kili for any signs. He was sick for three days after they had left even the smell of food made him run for the pot. Kili had found it amusing after a while to cook smelly things like fried fish just to watch the toy-maker dash from the room.   
Now they moped together as they tried to figure out just where on the mountain they were and if the key would actually work.   
  
  
 _Stand by the grey stone where the Thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin's Day will shine upon the key hole.  
  
  
_ The air was musty, sharp and made Ivy want to sneeze as she walked with Balin to where the stairs began down into darkness.   
"I really thought Bofur would be here by now" she admitted the snowy haired dwarf, her voice cracking.   
"So did we, my dear" he laid a fatherly hand on her shoulder "I'm sure he'll be here soon."   
She covered his warm hand with icy fingers as she swallowed the lump in her throat "He will be. But... but if I- if I don't return please tell him how much..."   
"Shhhh lass you will return. For all we know the wyrm is long dead and this will be a walk in the Shire for you. I have faith in you Ivy Baggins" he smiled kindly at her and she found herself pulling him into a tight hug.   
" _Thank you_ " she whispered before quickly letting go and hurrying into the darkness to her fate. 

The treasury or Smaug's Bedroom as it would become known was so much larger than Fili or Thorin had been able to impress upon her. She had thought it would be like the Great Smials in Tuckborough but it was so much more! Light seemed to emanate from the hills of gold but there were also light stands around the room. She watched for any sign of the dragon as she followed the walkway around the perimeter of the room but there was none. No movement under the wealth, no smell of brimstone or bonfires she wasn't really sure what a dragon smelled like but besides musty, dusty air that had been disturbed in over a hundred years she smelled nothing new. It was a pleasant surprise to find the stairs down into the room still intact and she slowly descended to where the treasure met stone. One hairy toe at a time she carefully stepped down onto the coins straining to hear anything that might hint at Smaug waking or rounding the corner to fry her like an egg.   
Gold coins and gem stones were a lot harder to walk on than anyone could have guessed and she had to stifle a squeal as she began to slide down the side of a heap of mathoms. The motion disturbed a virtual land slide that followed her down and she wouldn't lie that when a red horn was exposed she almost wet her trousers. Holding her breath she stood stock still and slipped her ring back on her finger but nothing happened.   
The Tookish part of her reared its head and she found herself tossing trinkets at the horn trying to provoke it!   
" _That's it I've obviously gone right round the bend now."  
_ **"Well Thief where are you? I can smell you, hear you breathing... where are you hiding?"** a deep voiced filled the cavern and Ivy slipped into the shadow behind her despite being invisible. Time trickled by at a snail's pace as she waited from him to either speak again or possibly forget about her. That was not to be as she heard coins moving and the voice came from everywhere and nowhere again  **"I know you're still here Thief. Help yourself to the treasure... there is plenty to go around."  
** The thought of taking off the ring and stepping out into the light was tempting but self preservation won out and she stayed hidden in shadows as she edged back to the wall.   
 **"There is something about you Thief... I can smell gold on you and something much more _precioussss_." **   
His tone curdled something in her stomach and without thinking she blurted out "I did not come to steal from you!"   
 _Great I'm already lying to something that can eat me in one bite.  
_ **"So you can speak Thief in the Shadows."** Smaug sounded like he was almost purring. Ivy strained to peek around the pillar she had made it too but she still did not see any sign of the great beast.   
"I didn't come to steal from you" she repeated louder "I came to see the wonder that is you, O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy!"   
There she heard something moving "I came to gaze upon your magnificence, to see if you really are as wondrous as the tales of old have made you seem" she paused ears twitching as she listened for movement on the gold "but I do not see you anywhere! Quite disappointing to be honest."   
She resisted the urge to hit herself in the forehead  _what am I doing? Needling a dragon!_  
Steps appeared in her periphery not the steps she was hoping for but she'd take the higher ground most days.   
 **"Well you broke into my home. You don't always get what you want when you pop in uninvited."  
** "Are you seriously trying to chide me on bad manners?" she squawked as she climbed the short set of stairs "I come from a place so polite you wouldn't know how to act!"   
A raspy sound filled the room and she sank behind a broken pillar ignoring the skeleton that occupied one side; irritation flared to life in her breast as she realized the big lizard was laughing at her! Now that she was above the treasure it sounded like the voice was coming from higher up.   
"Truly the tales and songs that I have heard made you sound impressive indeed, O Smaug the Stupendous" she pitched her voice to carry as she slipped up another set of stairs "Are you sure I cannot see you just for a moment?"   
 **"What would it matter when you will not survive to leave here Thief? Flattery only takes you so far."**  
There the voice was coming from above her. She strained to see in the dimness but she saw no huge lizards anywhere.    
"No? What-" his dark voice cut her off " **No indeed. You have obviously heard of me but I don't recall smelling you before. Who and what are you, Thief in the Shadows?"  
** She panned the room for any sign of anything really and when she saw none Ivy scuttled across the short bridge to hide in the next shadow while still looking for the owner of the voice.   
"You've never smelt my kind before?" she teased "Well I come from under the hill and under and over the hills my paths have led. And through the air! I am she who walks unseen."   
" **You're female? That answers one question. Lovely titles but they mean nothing to me."  
** She bit back a growl as she stalked through the darkness "I am the Lucky Number, She who drowns her friends and draws them alive again from the water! I am Spider Slayer and Barrel Rider-" **  
"Barrel Rider?" Smaug snarled "Are you one of those tub thumping Lake Men?"   
**"Absolutely NOT!" she cried in not entirely mock indignity "I am the Riddle Maker-" **  
"Dwarves! Are you with dwarves?"** his voice sounded different but also much closer as she slunk up another set of steps trying to not bump the skeletons where they lay. But luck was not on her side as she stumbled on a crumbly bit of and a whole guard skeleton fell to hit near the red horn. Horror filled her as it caused another cascade of treasure that revealed more horns longer than spears, a snout longer than a mountain troll and a empty socket for an eye. It was a skull! Whoever was speaking must have noticed because the voice took on a frantic tone as it roared cracking at the edges " **I laid low the warriors of old, and their like is not of the world today! I instill terror hearts of men! I AM KING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN! My armor is like iron, mo blade forged can pierce me! My teeth like swords, my claws like spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt! My wings a hurricane! And my breath: Death!"**  
Ivy jumped as a small jet of flame burst near her foot singeing her foot and she jumped over it almost landing on something! There not much bigger than her foot was the owner of the voice: a tiny red lizard!   
"It's rude to singe someone foot hair thank you very much!" she scolded the thing and plucked it up while it shouted "PUT ME DOWN! I AM DEATH! I AM SMAUG THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE!"   
"Oh hush you're no bigger than newt!"   
She tucked Smaug under her arm and carried him down the stairs; apparently being carried like a house cat mollified him some to where he said nothing till they reached the floor again "THIS IS NOT DIGNIFIED! RELEASE ME WOMAN!"   
  
Once she wasn't worried about bursting into flame Ivy found the Arkenstone fairly quickly since it was oddly enough right next to the dragon skull.   
"So what happened here?" she asked the little dragon that decided lying across her shoulders was the best place to pout.   
He muttered something and she had to stop "What?"   
"I choked on an elk, there happy!" he snapped smoke curling from his tiny nostrils.   
She reached up to scratch his brow and he went limp under hand "Oh that's the spot" he moaned one of his wings relaxing to fall down her back.   
"We should return to the others" she stated tucking the glowing white stone in her pocket.   
Smaug wrapped his tail lightly around her throat to steady himself "I'm not sure you're going to want to give that Oakenshield."   
Pausing at the bottom of the right stairs she cocked her head "Why ever not?"   
"Because it drove his grandfather mad and was one of the key things that brought me here. Quite frankly it's cursed" he chuckled "Ya know what nevermind. Give it to the pompous prick. Lets watch him lose his mind to the sickness."   
She bopped him on the nose "Now there will be none of that! Lets see how they act and take it from there. Happy?"   
He tucked his head under curls "No not really."   
  
Ivy had expected the dwarves to be huddled around the door but no one was insight as she drew to the silver lit portal. And for good reason... Laketown was burning. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstandings abound. Broken hearts will heal and wrongs righted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The kudos are awesome and you all rock! I love the comments as well!

Laketown was burning and there wasn't anything any of them could do.   
  
Ivy had been transfixed in horror as she drew up beside Bombur and Fili, tears slipping unheeded down their cheeks as they thought of the ones they had left behind.   
"What happened?" she gasped falling to her knees.   
"We don't know" answered Balin.   
Rocks bit into her knees as she sank to the earth eyes still glued to the burning town, straining to see a sign of anyone even fleeing the inferno.   
"Good riddance" growled a voice beneath her ear "I hated those tub thumping Lake Men."   
She bopped the little dragon's nose "Hush you. My _Cariad_ is there."   
"What do we do now,  **Irak’Adad?** " Fili asked his voice tight with tears.   
Thorin was just a silhouette against the moon light "We wait. We do not know what has happened and we don't know if something is headed this way."   
Dwalin's voice was soft in the darkness "We need shelter... Ivy what of Smaug?"   
The little lizard around her neck was silent as she answered "Dead, looks to have happened a long time ago."   
  
  
Ivy watched and waited with Smaug either under her curls or in one of her pockets for a sign of life from Lake town. The others seemed to be in a thrall over the hills of treasure and didn't seem to care to venture far from the treasury. Occasionally Bombur or Bifur would join her on the wall for a bit usually bringing her some jerky or hard tack.   
She watched days bleed to night and back again. The food they brought sat like a stone in her stomach but she ate it out of instinct her eyes never leaving the Laketown as she prayed for a sign that Bofur survived. That he and Kili were coming back to them full of jokes and stories; laughing about how much they made her worry.   
Smaug was still sulking so he said little staying under her curls occasionally taking a bit of jerky from her. Despite the pouting she enjoyed talking to him even if he didn't answer, it actually made her think of how others were with pets and while she'd never call the little dragon a pet for fear he'd set her hair on fire it was still nice to have another being there.   
"You could come help us look?"   
The dark voice pulled her gaze from the smoldering ruins to Thorin standing behind her wearing the most elaborate suit of gold armor she'd ever seen.   
"Look for what? I told you the dragon is dead."   
Thorin's scowl deepened and he stepped into the sunlight; the glare from his suit making her eyes hurt "The Arkenstone. I have to find it."   
"Aren't you worried about your nephew? What about Bofur? They could still be alive out there" she asked him looking back towards the blackened ruins, hands clasped at her breast.  
"They are dwarrow" Thorin's voice took on a derisive edge "If they survived they will return to their king."   
Ivy found herself ducking her head to avoid looking at the King instead focusing on her hands and breathing hoping he would leave her alone but Thorin did not take the hint.   
"I expect you to come help us look, Burglar. You cannot spend all your time watching for the dead." With that his heavy footsteps finally retreated and Ivy let herself cry with the pain in her heart.   
A small voice whispered beneath her ear "I told you it was cursed. Already Oakenshield and his men are succumbing to the madness that much gold brings."   
  
Ivy helped them search even though the prize was residing in her vest pocket. Being around so much gold made her stomach hurt and her eyes watered as she sifted halfheartedly through the loot; if no one was nearby Smaug would abandon his place under her curls and help dig through the gold. He told her tales of where he acquired some of it or whatever little bit of history he knew was attached to a certain mathom. She was pretty sure the little lizard's company was one of the things that kept her from just crawling into a hole and dying. The pain in her chest intensified each day she saw no movement on the shores of Long Lake. Memories of the all the children she had seen, of Bard's children Sigrid, Bain and little Tilda was like salt in the wound of her heart. Most nights she woke at least once reaching for Bofur only for her hand to hit cold stone because most of the dwarves barely rested as they sorted the treasury. Smaug had taken to curling against her chest as she wept in the dark, his size closer to that of a kitten rather than a newt.   
A week had gone by when Ivy realized they were getting dangerously low on supplies particularly food and water. Glimpses down the dark tunnels made her heart race and palms sweat at the thought of venturing into the dark to try and find a clean water source. The one closest to the treasury smelled of rotten eggs and Smaug told her not to drink it under any terms though he could care less if the dwarves did.   
"We need to go out and look for food" she informed Thorin and Dwalin one evening when they actually left what Smaug called his bedroom.   
"Nonsense Halfling, We have everything we need here" Thorin waved his hand as if dismissing her.   
She turned pleading eyes to Dwalin and the big warrior shifted uncomfortably before looking around the room avoiding her eyes. Ivy was beginning to think that the madness was stronger for Thorin and the others were either just following orders or motivated by more money than they had ever seen.   
"We are almost out of clean water" she ticked off the points on her fingers "The food is close to gone and winter is very close to covering us in snow. We need to prepare!"   
Thorin leaned forward in the chair he was sitting in like a throne, blues eyes glinting gold in the candle light "We have all the money we could ever WANT to BUY whatever we need. Be done with this nonsense Burglar!"   
Frustration boiled up in her and the slapping sound of a barefoot meeting stone echoed through the chamber "Who in the blue blazes are we going to BUY anything from? Laketown has been burned, the people either scattered to the wind or d-dead" she choked on the last word.   
"Trivial stuff" Thorin folded his arms across his chest "There will be others to barter with. Now go be useful and help look for the Arkenstone."   
  
  
Dwarves do not like to swim but they do know how. Bofur was never so thankful his Adad had insisted on teaching them all than at the moment he and Kili were swimming towing a small boat full of children towards the far shore. Orcs it turned out could not swim and were too stupid to realize that was a problem as they had set Laketown ablaze. Elves had been hot on the heels of the Orc pack that must have followed the dwarves from Mirkwood but even the immortal beings were not fast enough to save the town of Men.   
Bofur and Kili spent countless hours helping move the now homeless town along the shoreline; the Master was either dead or had fled for whatever reason and it turned out without his clout no one liked Alfrid. All eyes turned to Bard which the pair of dwarves learned was the grandson of Girion.   
Bard ran a hand through his dark locks at looked towards the mountain and back towards Mirkwood "Which way do we go? We can't stay out here we won't survive the winter."   
"Erebor is your best bet." Bofur answered him.   
"You do not want to see what is in Mirkwood!" added Kili with wide eyes at the memories of giant spiders.   
Bard paced "No one has seen any sign of life at the mountain though."   
Kili paled while Bofur tugged his mustache "Be that as it may there is still more shelter there than in the dark wood." he pointed out gravely.   
Bard nodded his dark head "Fair point, Master Bofur. Then let us head towards the Lonely Mountain and pray that the dragon is gone."   
  
Bofur's heart pounded as the closer they made it to Erebor they still saw no signs of life, the decision was made to camp in the ruins of Dale so the women and children had some protection from the elements while Bard and a few others approached the main gate. He strained his eyes hoping for the gleam of red hair on the wall or the sight of boar spear but there was no movement.   
" **Where is everyone? The gate looks sealed** " Kili hissed as they helped with the last of the tents.   
A horn blared in the still air "What the hell was that?"  
'That' was Thranduil mounted on his giant elk followed by more elves than Bofur had thought Mirkwood could hold. Somehow the Men and Elves decided it was the best idea to join forces despite Kili and his best efforts to impress how badly Thorin would respond to it.   
  
And they were right. Thorin had been enraged to see Bard and Thranduil at the gate, the king had come dangerously close to becoming a pin cushion as he pointed a bow at the Elf King. They had thought once Bofur and Kili stepped forward perhaps that would change the dwarf king's feelings but instead he had called them traitors, shouted that the only reason they came back was to take his gold and that Kili was no kin of his! The prince had been devastated as was his brother who could be heard shouting behind Thorin "Uncle please! You don't mean that!"   
Bofur's heart had soared when he heard Ivy's voice cry out in surprise when he stepped forward but she was quickly silenced and he didn't get to lay an eye on her.   
Bard realized quicker than the others that this was futile and chose then to walk away with the agreement they would meet in a days' time to try again with the negotiations. Thranduil with the knowledge of the ages had thought it was better to stand there and argue with Thorin until his son stepped forward to pull him away. Bofur could see who was the smart one in the family and figured the lad must have learned it from his mother.   
" _How did he ever get to be king acting like that?_ " whispered Kili as they watched Thranduil pout back to the shared camp. 

Ivy couldn't believe how poorly the meeting of Men, Elves and Dwarves had gone. She thought Thorin was better than that, smarter than that even to come to trading insults with the Elven king like they were children. Balin had tried to help direct the interaction but Thorin Oakenshield would not listen nor do as he was advised. It was obvious to all but Thorin that they were on the verge of a war with both armies and they were poorly outnumbered and supplied.   
"We can do it" Gloin nodded his red head assertively.   
Fili looked despondent slouched against a statue of an angry looking dwarf while he played with his family bead and barely made any sound to acknowledge Gloin.  
"They will all die following Oakenshield" Smaug observed from his hiding spot in her vest "their hearts are not in it but they will follow him to their deaths all the same."   
There was a lump in her throat as she nodded "I know but what can I do?"   
"Burglar what are you hiding from me?"   
Ivy wasn't ashamed to admit he had startled her, she covered the little dragon's protest with a squeak of surprise as she poked his head back under the fabric "Thorin! Nothing, nothing at all. What makes you think I'm hiding something?"   
The dwarf king towered over her and she took a step back as she stared up into his hard blue eyes.   
"What is in your pocket?" he growled holding out his hand.   
Hand shaking she placed the little thing that had been in her jacket pocket for month in his much larger hand.   
"An acorn" he exclaimed a true smile curling his lips "That's it?"   
Ivy nodded slowly watching him with guarded eyes as he handed it back to her "I intend to plant it come spring." 

  
The wind stole her breath as she tied off her rope and watched it drop into darkness; she glanced around her for any movement feeling like a fugitive escaping into the night as she climbed down. She tucked her coat close around her missing the buttons that held it shut, Smaug cursed soundly from where he hid under her blouse, it was the warmest spot for the little reptile.   
"Oh shush you wanted to come" she snipped at him as she darted over the frozen ground towards the warm glow of the tent city.   
"Well I'm sorry, it's ball bustingly cold out here" he grumped back a curl of smoke curling up from between her breasts.   
"By all that is green you better not set my blouse on fire" she scolded "Or I will hand you over to Gandalf."   
She had discovered that the dragon was not fond of wizards especially not Saruman the White; he wouldn't tell her why but she knew the threat carried weight.   
  
There was something to be said about her skill as a Burglar that she slipped unseen without even putting on her little ring into the camp of Men and Elves. Smaug was silent for once as they neared where she could hear Bard's voice and they quietly slipped inside to see Bard staring at a map with the Elvenking.   
"I have come to offer you a deal" her voice rang in the tent causing the larger beings to jump, hands going to their swords before they spotted her on the other side of the table.   
"IVY!" a warm weight slammed into her and she found herself in the tight hold of Kili; the prince lifting her to her tiptoes as he hugged her tightly.   
"Hello Kili" she said softly hugging the lad back as tightly as she could. Her mind flashed briefly to the little dragon still inside her shirt but he never made a peep.   
Kili's dark eyes were watery as he sat her back on her feet. The sound of a throat clearing had her turning to find Bofur standing behind her with his trademark smile and arms held open to her. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes as she stepped into his embrace forgetting the others in the tent as she fisted her hands in the back of his tunic.   
" _Fy nghariad_ " she whispered as she buried her face against his neck " _I thought you were lost to me._ "   
Bofur's breath was hot above her ear and his voice sounded a little strangled "Never. My **Laslel. Men lananubukhs menu."  
**Her voice was wet as she giggled "I love you too, **turghalw.** "   
"While this is a lovely reunion I would like to know who this little being is that has snuck into our camp in the dead of night."   
  
The Arkenstone glittered both with the candlelight and the inner light of the gem as it laid on the table between the Man, Elf, Hobbit and Dwarves. Thranduil's eyes were wide as he stared at it and Bard reached out a hand to touch before drawing it back quickly as though afraid the gem would burn him.   
"You truly offer this as a marker for your 14th of the treasure to help us?" Bard looked at her queerly where she was sandwiched between Kili and Bofur.   
She nodded "Yes. This will get Thorin to cooperate with you. They will not survive a battle with both of you."   
Kili looked ill and Bofur was nodding in agreement with her.   
"Uncle is not going to like this" Kili stated, worry pinching his brow.   
Ivy squeezed his hand "I know but I can't stand by and watch this come to blows."   
Thranduil leaned forward his head cocked to the side "You are seriously giving up all that gold to save a handful of dwarves that don't seem interested in saving themselves?"   
"I am."   
  
Bofur felt like throwing up all over again as he watched Ivy scale the wall back up into Erebor, the urge to follow her so strong he clenched his fists hard enough to feel his nails bite into the flesh of his palms. Thorin had banished them and until he was back in his right mind Bofur wasn't about to see if the King would carry through with the threat of death he'd placed on them.   
She had kissed him deeply before she had dashed away with tears streaming to return to the Lonely Mountain before sunrise. Kili was beside himself with the report the hobbit had given them about the state of supplies and Thorin's erratic behavior. 

What happened at the gate is something that will haunt Bofur and Kili till the end of their days.   
Thorin had given new definition to taking 'something badly' when Bard had produced the Arkenstone and then Ivy had stepped forward admitting she did it to save them. Their boots had been rooted to the stone as they watched the King dangle the hobbit from the rampart shouting vile things at her. Bofur had been positive he was about to watch his One be dropped to her death and there was no way he'd make it in time to save her.   
Never doubt a wizard's timing; Gandalf appeared astride a grey horse in the nick of time to convince Thorin to return his Hobbit undamaged. Instead the King Under the Mountain had banished her for life with the threat of death should he ever see her again.   
  
"Bofur I'm alright" Ivy protested as the miner checked her over for third time in as many minutes.   
They had stayed long enough to hear the news Gandalf brought of the Orc army coming before Bofur had pulled her from that tent and into another. It had started with just him holding her apologizing until she threatened to kick him then he had shifted to checking her injuries again.   
"Are you sure, **Laslel**? Perhaps Legolas should check you again?"   
"Did you not hear her? She's fine" growled a small voice from her vest.   
Bofur stepped back eyeing her top warily "Ivy what is that?"   
Rolling her eyes she tapped the pocket Smaug was hiding in "Alright loud mouth. Time to come out."   
"I don't want to."   
A firm slap to the bottom of her pocket where she was sure it wouldn't hurt him had him popping out with smoke curling from his nostrils "You know it is rude to slap someone to get them to move?"   
**"Mahal zai abra** Ivy what is that!" Bofur shouted.   
Smaug hunkered in her hand as she held it up at eye level "This is Smaug."   
"You're shitting me." Bofur stepped closer to peer at the scaly thing.   
The little dragon rose to his rear haunches wings spread wide "Am I not magnificent? I am Smaug the Great and Terrible!"   
Bofur's blunt finger poked Smaug in his scaled belly "But you're so little!"    
The little dragon dropped down and curled into a ball in her hand tucking his head under his wing with a muffled "It's a long story."   
Curious brown eyes met green as Ivy tucked the little beasty back in his preferred pocket where he had a coin hoarded "It really is. I'll tell you once everything calms down." 

It had started with kisses while they waited for news of the approaching armies then they had moved to sit on the bed leaving a trail of vests, jackets and belts across the tent though Ivy made sure her vest with Smaug sleeping in it was on a chair. Bofur's hat ended up on the floor as she undid his braids to card her fingers through his soft hair. His mustache tickled as he kissed down her neck to her breast undoing the buttons down to where her blouse was tucked into her skirt. Moans from both of them mingled in the air to be lost by the sounds of the bustling camp. She shivered and sighed as he ran a hand up her thigh to where he found her damp small clothes; she pulled him into a deep kiss as he pressed her into the cot, swallowing the sounds she made as he slipped a finger pass the edge of her panties.   
"Should we stop?" she panted as she ran hands down push at his breeches.   
"Do you want to?"   
Curls bounced as she shook her head while hooking her heels to push his pants to his knees and wrapping a hand around his cock.   
Rough hands pushed her skirt up to her waist "We have time" he murmured against her throat "we have time... oh Mahal"   
Impatient little hands had pulled aside her panties and rubbed him against her wetness "take me. Forget everything and take me" she purred arching against him.   
He had tried to go slowly, wanted to let her adjust to taking him again after so long but Ivy had other plans and tightened her legs around him to push him in to the hilt in a smooth glide that left them both gasping.   
"Oh sweet Yavanna" she hiccuped shuddering under him.   
In a rhythm as old as time they began to move together and nothing short of the Valar could have stopped them as he pumped in and out of her warmth. She took him all and rocked her hips up to meet him, the motion rocking the cot adding another sound to fill the quiet of the tent.   
"Oh Bofur, oh my oh my _ffyc rwy'n dy garu di_ " she clamped a hand over her mouth to silence her howls of pleasure as he picked up the pace racing her to the end. Her free hand gripped his forearm, nails biting in as she climaxed legs shaking soaking his cock and balls as she cried her pleasure. Goosebumps covered him as he shuddered with his own release, a muted groan as he shook over her, sweat dotting his brow and his vision swimming.   
  
If they had known that was the last time they would see each other for a very long time they would have done things differently but foresight was not a gift either had been blessed with. So instead of saying sweet nothings or declarations of love or courtship they had dressed and headed to main tent ignoring the glances they received from the guards while they held hands.   
  
  
The battle was fierce and Ivy was soon separated from Bofur as he ran to help his brothers on the battlefield making her promise to stay at the edge of the battle. They had kissed passionately before he had ran into the thick of it mattock swinging to clear any who got in his way.   
She did not see him fall under the hammer of the giant Orc because she was too busy rushing up to Ravenhill with Kili to warn Thorin that another army was coming from that direction. Smaug did his best to watch her back taking care not to singe her hair as he breathed fire at any that thought to come close. Sting flashed like quicksilver in the light as she slashed at any body part she could reach as they ran.   
The sight of Thorin fighting the Defiler was close to overwhelming as she looked for a way to help the king. It came when Azog was bearing down on Thorin she darted forward and laid open the backs of his thighs with her little sword. A white fist she never saw coming had her flying through the air to land on the ice with her ears ringing and no breath in her lungs. Thorin staggered past her and for a moment she thought he was going to finish her before she remembered she was wearing her ring; the king couldn't see her and she watched him limp away to find his nephews. Beorn was the one to discover her amongst the rocks though she had removed her ring once things had gone quiet.   
"You should be more careful, little bunny." The shape changer rumbled as he carried her down to the camp.   
"It's just a bump on the head, Beorn. I'm fine" she patted her friend's arm careful to keep her eyes shut lest the world started spinning again.   
"Yes but you are with kit and should take care of yourself" he answered.   
It felt as though ice water ran down her spine and she slowly looked at him "No I'm not. There's no way I could be so soon."   
Beorn smiled down at her showing sharp teeth "I can smell it, little bunny. Your kit will be here in the spring."   
  
Ivy had fallen asleep against Beorn's shoulder, mind still buzzing with the news that she was pregnant. Between the sheer stress of everything and her head injury the little hobbit lass slept for three whole days. She awoke with the sun on the fourth day and was fairly vibrating to get out of bed and only relented to stay put until she was cleared by a healer.   
Her heart raced as she nearly ran to the dwarven camp only to be stopped at the boundary by a pair of unfamiliar dwarves.   
"Please I need to know if everyone is alright" she pleaded as they stared down at her like she was a bug.   
"Sorry Ma'am but we have strict orders that the Thief of Erebor is not allowed into this camp."  
"Can you get me Dwalin, Son of Fundin please?"   
  
Dwalin had a limp, a black eye and she could see a bandage peeking out from under his tunic as he looked everywhere but at her.   
"Dwalin, please, I just want to know how everyone is."   
His silver eyes darted down to meet hers briefly "There were some injuries." he admitted softly.   
She laid a hand lightly on his forearm startling the dwarf "What of Bofur?"   
Silver darkened to dove grey and he looked down with a shake of his head. The ground beneath her feet felt as if it gave way as she dropped to her knees with a wail.   
  
Dwalin, Son of Fundin, Captain of the Guards of Erebor had seen things that would haunt anyone but the sound that left the little hobbit when he told her Bofur was gone was something that would stick with him till he passed into Mahal's Hall. Tears trickled into his whiskers as he stalked back to the healers tent where the others were. Thorin looked up from where he was reclined, his foot that Azog had stabbed through elevated, Fili was asleep in the neighboring cot his arm in a sling and his middle wrapped with bandages. Kili was slumped over holding his brother's good hand sleeping as well, across the tent was more somber as Bombur wiped Bofur's sweaty brow beneath the bandages while Oin held the miner's wrist tracking his heartbeat.   
"How is he?" he whispered.   
Oin shook his head sadly "not long now."   
"What was that sound, **Murkhûn**?" Thorin asked as Dwalin drew near.   
"I told Ivy that Bofur had fallen" he whispered dragging a hand over his face.   
Thorin's face clouded over "You could have brought her back with you."   
"You banished her" Dwalin reminded his King.   
The raven haired dwarf held up the parchment in his lap "I rescinded it and named her a hero."   
"When?"   
Thorin shrugged "An hour ago?"   
Dwalin stretched his spine till it popped "I will give her some time and go get her."   
  
  
Time slipped by and before Dwalin could go tell Ivy that she was forgiven and to be honored the Hobbit had fled the tent city with Gandalf and Beorn.   
  
Ivy had thought of returning home to the Shire but knew they would never accept her having a child out of wedlock and instead sent a letter with Gandalf stating that her home was to go to her cousin Drogo. She instead stayed with Beorn. The shape changer was more than happy to have her on his land and even built her a small Smial so she would be comfortable. Gandalf visited often over the winter which was mild on Beorn's land.   
The weather matched how Ivy was feeling as she mourned Bofur's passing, her heart was ashes in her chest and some days it hurt to even breathe. Only the child their love had created that grew under her heart stopped her from giving up completely and wasting away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations
> 
> Turghalw~ Sweet Beard. I found this in another fic and adored it.  
> Men lananubukhs menu~ I love you. 
> 
> Welsh  
> Fy Ngharaid~ My love.  
> Ffyc~ fuck  
> rwy'n dy garu di~ I love you

**Author's Note:**

> I know the song the Man in the Moon Stayed Up Too Late is shortened in the movie but I adore this version though I shortened it a bit here as well. 
> 
> Bold is either Khuzdul or Inglishmek. Just check for quotation marks ;) 
> 
>  
> 
> Translations
> 
> Asti zi abnamul~ You are beautiful  
> Menu tessu laslel~ You are everything Rose of Roses.  
> Ekespu menu men o targu men~ You mean more to me than my beard.


End file.
